Box



y 1938. E. c. MULNIX 2,115,782

BOX

Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Shea; 1

y 3, 19331 E. c. MULNIX 2,115,782

BOX

Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE" 11 Qlaims.

The invention relates to improvements in boxes made of flexible materialsuch as boxboard, paper or the like and has for its primary object theprovision of a box construction of the character indicated having animproved handle member formed integrally therewith.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction of the character indicated having a special provisiontherein for reinforcing said handle member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction of the character indicated having special provision thereinfor utilizing the handle for locking thebox in closed condition.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification and in which Fig. 1 is aperspective View of a foldable box embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a plan view of the blank from which the box is formed;

Fig. 3 a perspective view of one end of the blank shown in an earlystage of manipulation at the factory for forming that end of the box;

Fig. 4 a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the same end of the box in astage of procedure just prior to the completion of that end of the boxfor actual use.

Fig. 6 a section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 a sectional view taken substantially on line 1-4 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 a perspective view of the same end of the box in completed form;and

Fig. 9 a perspective view of the other end of the box shown in completedassembled form.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises anintegral blank made of boxboard,. paper or the like having one interiorportion In set off by scoring or creases as shown to constitute thetopor cover portion of an outer box member. The top portion I0 isconnected as indicated with a corresponding portion H by a common wallmember l2 which serves as a swinging connection between the outer andinnerbox members. The top portion 10 is provided with side walls l3connected by triangular flaps l4 and I5 with the end wall Hi. Inassembling the box, the side walls l3 are first folded inwardly onto thetop portion Ill and the end wallv 16. The end wall i6 is provided with asecuring flap l I which is folded inwardly onto the flap l5 and securedto the wall l5 by means of a central staple or wire stitch II, as bestshown in Fig. 9. The securing flap ll thus constitutes an ordinary andwell-known form of se- 5 curing flaps co-operating with the corner flapsl4 and I5 for securing that end of the outer box member in distendedform as depicted in Fig. 9. The end wall I6 is provided with atransverse slit I8 having downwardly and outwardly diverging ends [9 fora purpose to be presently described.

The bottom portion II is provided with end walls 20 connected bytriangular foldable flaps 2!, 22, and 23 with the ends of the side walls13 as best shown in Fig. 2. The adjacent corners of the side walls I3are formed into locking tongues 25 by means of notches 26 and 21, saidlocking tongues being adapted and arranged to be inserted in thediagonal slits 24 in the end 20 walls 20 when the triangular fiaps 2|,22, and 23 are properly folded for the purpose thereby serving to securethis edge of each of the side walls l3 in place when the box is formedas indicated in Fig. 1. The edge of the notch 21 being 25 inclined asshown serves to interlock with the end of the corresponding slit 24thereby drawing the parts tightly together.

The walls 20 are connected, as best indicated in Fig. 2, with the endsof the end wall 30 for the inner box member, by folding flaps 28 and 29which serve the same function here as the flaps l4 and I5 but are cutoff at their outer corners to facilitate the more complicated foldingmanipulation. I V

A handle flap 3| is formed at the top of the end wall 30, the sides ofsaid flap being freed from said wall along the tortuous lines 3|. Theinner central portion 32 of the flap 3| andthe outer central portion 33of the wall 30 are properly freed and scored as indicated so that theymay be doubled upon each other to form a handle member and bring theupper portion of the flap against the inner face of the wall to closethe gap therein caused by the removal of the material for said handlemember; The portion 32 is provided with a central slot 34 and theportion 33 with a central slot 35 which are so arranged as to be broughtinto registry with each other when said parts are doubled upon eachother as above described. The material removed to form the slot 35 isformed into a flap 36 which is folded between the upper portions of thehandle member as best indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. By this arrangement asuitable reinforced handle member will be formed having a. central slotand handhold, the edge of which is rounded in part by the fold for flap36. At its lower side edges the portion 33 is provided with notches 31for a purpose to be presently described. The irregular shaped foldablereinforcing flaps 38 and 39 are formed as shown to connectthe edges ofthe: handle-forming portions and are folded therebetween to reinforcethe same and present smooth exterior edges at these points. Securingflaps 40 are provided as shown at the outside top edges of the end wall30 being folded inwardly and secured thereto by means of wire stitchesor staples 40'. Scored lines 4| and 42 at the ends of the side walls l3and 20, as best shown in Fig. 2, are inwardly inclined to cause a betterfit of the parts when the box is made up into the condition shown inFig. 1.

In manufacturing the box, a blank in the form illustrated in Fig. 2 isfirst formed. The securing flap I1 is folded inwardly onto the face ofthe end wall l6 and secured thereto by means of a central wire stitch orstaple Il'.

At the other end of the blank thewalls and parts arefirst folded asindicated in Fig. 3 to double the handle-forming portions 3233 upon eachother and bring the upper portion of the flap 3| against the inner faceof the wall 30, at the same time folding the side walls 20 and flaps 28and 29 inwardly against the bottom portion II, the flaps 36, 38, and 39being folded between the portions 32 and 33 as indicated. After thisfold is made the securing flaps 40 are folded inwardly as shown in Fig.5 and secured over the fiaps 29 by the wire stitch or staples 40 saidstaples passing through flaps 40, 3|, and end wall 30. In this conditionthe work at the factory is completed and the box in condition forshipping in flat folded condition. In making up the box for use, the endwall is is formed into the condition illustrated in Fig. 9 in the usualway. Then the side walls 20 are brought up and secured in place by thesecuring flaps 40 as will be readily understood. The desired contents isthen inserted in the box and the outer member folded over the innermember with the handle portion 32-33 protruding through the slot l8, andthe securing tongues 25 inserted in the slits 24 as shown in Fig. 1 thuscompleting the box and providing a suitable reinforced handle forcarrying the same. It will be noted that as the handle member 3233 isthus extended through the slot iii the divergent ends I9 of said slotwill co-operate with the notches 31 at the base of the handle member tointerlock, as indicated in Fig. 1, to securely lock the handle member inplace.

By this arrangement a handled box is provided in which the handle is anintegral part and parcel of the end wall; in which all of the availablematerial in the end wall is utilized in forming a reinforced handlemember; in which the handle has a wide and therefore strong hinged baseor connection with the end wall; in which the handle member isrelatively high and large; in which the outer end of the handle flapcovers the gap in the end wall formed by the removal of the material forthe handle andexposes-the exterior side thereof; and in which the handleautomatically and securely locks itself in position by mere assemblingof the parts.-

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation I and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsdisclosed but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member; a handle flap at the top ofthe wall at the freely swinging end of the inner member, the outer endsof said fiap being freed from said wall and the upper central portionsof the wall and the lower central portion of said flap being doubledupon each other to form a handle member and bring the upper portion ofsaid flap against the inner face of the wall to close the gap thereincaused by the removal of the' material for the handle member; andsecuring flaps at the top of the wall under the ends of the handle flapand folded downwardly and secured at their inner ends against the innerface of the box wall leaving its ends free for use in forming the boxmember.

2. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end ofsaid outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member; a handle flap at the top ofthe wall at the freely swinging end of the inner member, the outer endsof said flap being freed from said well and the 'upper central portionsof the wall and the lower central portion of said flap being doubledupon each other to form a handle member and bring the upper portion ofsaid flap against the inner face of the wall to close the gap thereincaused by the removal of the material for the handle member, the centralportion of said handle member parts having registering slots; andsecuring flaps at the top of the wall under the ends of the handle flapand folded downwardly and secured at their inner ends against the innerface of the box wall leaving its ends free for use in forming the boxmember.

3. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member; a handle flap at the top ofthe wall at the freely swinging end of the inner member, the outer'endsof said flap being freed from said wall and the upper central portionsof the wall and the lower central portion of said flap being doubledupon each other to form a handle member and bring the upper portion ofsaid flap against the inner face of the wall to close the gap thereincaused by the removal of the material for the handle member, the centralportion of said handle member parts having registering slots and thematerial removed to form one of the handle slots being folded betweenthe upper portions of the corresponding handle portions; and securingflaps at the top of the wall under the ends of the handle flap andfolded downwardly and secured at their inner ends against the inner faceof the box wall leaving its ends free for use in forming the'box member.

4. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member, .the ends of said slotdiverging downwardly; a handle flap at the top of the wall at the freelyswinging end of the inner member, the outer ends of said flap beingfreed from said wall and the upper central portions of the wall and thelower central portion of said flap being doubled upon each other to forma handle member and bring the upper portion of said flap against theinner face of the wall to close the gap therein caused by the removal ofthe material for the handle member; and securing flaps at the top of thewall under the ends of the handle flap and folded downwardly and securedat their inner ends against the inner face of the box wall leaving itsends free for use in forming the box member.

5. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foidably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit. over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member, the ends of said slotdiverging downwardly; a handle flap at the top of the wall at the freelyswinging end of the inner member, the outer ends of said flap beingfreed from said wall and the upper central portions of the wall and thelower central portion of said flap being doubled upon each other to forma handle member and bring the upper portion of said flap against theinner face of the wall to close the gap therein caused by the removal ofthe material for the handle member, the central portion of said handlemember parts having registering slots; and securing flaps at the top ofthe wall under the ends of the handle flap and folded downwardly andsecured at their inner ends against the inner face of the box wallleaving its ends free for use in forming the box member.

6. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member, the ends of said slotdiverging downwardly; a handle flap at the top of the wall at the freelyswinging end of the inner member, the outer ends of said flap beingfreed from said wall and the upper central portions of the wall and thelower central portion of said flap being doubled upon each other to forma'handle member'and bring the upper portion of said flap against theinner face of the wall to close the gap therein caused by the removal ofthe material for the handle member, the central portion of said handlemember parts having registering slots and the material removed to formone of the handle slots being folded betweenthe upper portions of thecorresponding handle portions; and securing flaps at the top of the wallunder the ends of the handle flap and folded downwardly and secured attheir inner ends against the inner face of the box wall leaving its endsfree for use in forming the box member.

7. A box made fromasingle sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member; a handle flap at the top ofthe wall at the freely swinging end of the inner member, the outer endsof said flap being freed from said wall and the upper central portionsof the wall and the lower central portion a of said flap being doubledupon each other to form a handle member and bring the upper portion ofsaid flap against the inner face of the wall to close the gap thereincaused by the removal of the material for the handle member; flapsconnecting the edges of said handle-forming portions and folded betweenthem; and securing flaps at the top of the wall under the ends of thehandle flap and folded downwardly and secured at their inner endsagainst the inner face of the box wall leaving its ends free for use informing the box member.

8. A box made from a single sheet of flexible material formed into anouter and an inner box member foldably connected by a common wall tofold to cause said outer member to fit over said inner member, the wallat the freely swinging end of said outer member being transverselyslotted for the passage of a handle member, the ends of said slotdiverging downwardly; a handle flap at the top of the wall at the freelyswinging end of the inner member, the outer ends of said flap beingfreed from said wall and the upper central portions of the wall and thelower central portion of said flap being doubled upon each other to forma handle member and bring the upper portion of said flap against theinner face of the wall to, close the gap therein caused by the removalof the material for the handle member, the central portion of saidhandle member parts having registering slots and the material removed toform one of the handle slots being folded between the upper portions ofthe corresponding handle portions; flaps connecting the edges of saidhandle-forming portions and folded between them; and securing flaps atthe top of the wall under the ends of the handle flap and foldeddownwardly and secured at their inner ends against the inner face ofthebox wall leaving its ends free for use in forming the box member.

9. A handle member for a box comprising a handle fiap at the top of onewallof the box, the outer ends of said flap being free from said walland the upper central portions of the wall and the lower central portionof said flap being doubled upon each other to form a handle member andbring the upper portion of said flap against the inner face of the wallto close the gap therein caused by the removal of the material for thehandle member.

10. A handle member for a box comprising a handle flap at the top of onewall of the box, the outer ends of said flap being free from said walland the upper central portions of the wall and the lower central portionof said flap being doubled upon each other to form a handle member andbring the upper portion of said flap against the inner face of the wallto close the gap therein caused by the removal of the material for thehandle member, the central portions of said handle member parts havingregistering slots and the material removed to form one of the handleslots being folded between the upper portions of the correspondinghandle portions.

' doubled upon each other to form a handle member and bring the upperportion of said flap against the inner face of the wall to close the gaptherein caused by the removal of the material for the handle member, thecentral portions of said handle member parts having registering slotsand the material removed to form one of the handle slots being foldedbetween the upper portions of the corresponding handle portion; and

flaps connecting the edges of said handle-forming portions and foldedbetween them.

ERSEL C. MULNIX.

